Under the Trees
by KattyTime
Summary: A wedding turns into a rescue mission. Arnold and Helga start the best day of their lives where it all began in the jungle of San Lorenzo.
1. Veil

Helga stood in front of her bedroom mirror. The small room of the boarding house was just enough to accommodate her. Her eyes moved across the room. The wardrobe she had as a child now had a midnight exterior. It was in the corner of the room with her bed that folded into the wall on one side and a full-length mirror on the other. Across from that was the small bathroom. Arnold had insisted one be put in. It had a small shower to the left, a sink in the middle, and the toilet in front of the door. To the left of the bathroom was the kitchen. It was older and everything in it was white. It had a stove, oven, and fridge. The door sat between the kitchen and living room area. The living room had a brown couch and fold up table where she ate dinner when Arnold was at work. A TV that was so old it still had a VHS player attached to the bottom sat blocking the view to the bedroom area. That was it. All she owned sat in the tiny room. Arnold had given her more than enough, but insisted that they sleep in separate rooms until they were married. Helga let out a small sigh at the thought.

Helga checked again to make sure no one was coming down the hall. She ducked her head back into the room and reached for her veil with her left hand. Seeing both at the same time made it even more real for her. A ring that was both tiny and gigantic sat on her left ring finger. A small diamond sat in the center with one emerald on the left and a sapphire on the right. The color of their eyes.

She turned away from the mirror and put the veil on her head. She moved her hair out of her face. Taking a breath, she turned. Pure white mixed with her blonde hair. It seemed to flow like water over her shoulders. She started to laugh as she compared her outfit to the veil.

Helga wore a pink tank top and blue jeans. She was barefoot, no reason to wear shoes in her own house. As her emotions over whelmed her, Helga reached from a little pink book that she kept in the bottom of her wardrobe. She had destroyed her shrine at the age of 13 when she was a crime show about a woman a woman with a shrine in her closet of the man she ended up murdering. It made her rethink how creepy hers were. Even after all that, she kept her little pink books. Most where boxed up under the bathroom sink. The one she was still working on, stayed in her closet just in case inspiration hit her. She parked herself on her bed. The springs squeaked beneath her.

She clicked her pen. In the biggest loops she could manage, she wrote and said "Arnold, my love- "

"Yes?" asked the man leaning on the door frame. Sun colored hair drowned a small blue hat. He wore a blue jacket with a red shirt underneath. Blue jeans covered his legs and a little pink bow was tied around his wrist. He received it the same day she got her ring.

Helga jumped. "What do you think you're doing sneaking up on me Bucko?" she said though it was obvious she was threatening bodily harm as she raised her fist.

Arnold chuckled, "I know you won't actually do anything, but about the wedding."

Oh no, here it comes. The one thing Helga had been fearing for the last three months. He changed his mind. He didn't love her. Well if that was how he wanted it! Helga took her veil off trying to resist the urge to throw it at both him and out the window. She sat down on the edge of her bed facing him.

"What about it? You aren't backing out on me now, Arnoldo?" Helga said pointing the veil at him as though it was the knife she knew he was about the plunge through her back into her heart.

"I was just wondering…" He started and trailed off. His hand rubbed the back of his neck as if it could some way slow down his racing heart. He moved over to the bed. He sat down as Helga moved further back.

"Wondering what?" Helga said both biting her lip from anticipation and reached out her hand to comfort him only to draw it back as she had done so many times before. She turned her head away from him.

"The journal my father left in the attic." He began, but stop yet again. Helga was starting to get annoyed at his apprehension.

"What about it?" She said as the b in about popped as she spoke.

"It has a map of San Lorenzo. It shows where they got married. I was wondering… hoping really …. that we could get married there too since we haven't decided on a location yet."

Helga fell over laughing. Her sides started to ache as she turned her face in to her pillow.

"I'm serious." Arnold said. It means a lot to me. I want to stand where they stood and feel what they felt the day they became husband and wife."

"Let's do it." Helga said between the giggles.

"Really?" Arnold said, surprised that she agreed so quickly.

"Really. Pack the bags and buy the tickets. We are heading to San Lorenzo!"


	2. Planes

I own nothing. I put on some light music and felt inspired!

* * *

Planes. Miles and miles above the world, yet it was right where she loved to be. Helga tightened her hand around Arnold's. Of course, there hadn't been a direct flight from Hillwood. They had to stop and catch a connecting flight in Dallas, Texas. By now, Arnold had fallen asleep. His head leaned on her seat. If it was anyone else, she would have already punched them in the nose. Helga couldn't help but stare at his face. She imagined the laugh lines she knew he would have eventually. Then she heard it. Crying. Helga cringed at the high pitched sound.

She turned to see where that noise was coming from. There rows behind her was a woman with a toddler sitting and crying next to her mother. Poor woman looked worse than her mother had the day she left Bob. Helga couldn't yell at the woman.

Three hours were left in the flight. Helga put in her ears buds and started writing. Three poems in, she felt someone's breath on the back of her neck. He couldn't have followed her. Of all the places, the flight to her wedding venue was not the place she wanted HIM to be. She heard a wheeze come from the man behind her. Brainy? Helga questioned if she should punch him. If she did, she would be detained upon landing. Helga felt her fist tighten. She took a deep breath and turned her head. No Brainy. Helga felt relaxed. Nothing is worse for an ex stalker than having a stalker. The man behind her was younger. 15 or so. He was using an inhaler. Helga turned back to face the front. People were already starting to stare at her.

On the ground, Helga started to wake Arnold up.

"Hey, Bucko. We landed! Rise and shine, or I'm leaving you on the plane."

Arnold smiled and let out a loud, fake snore. Helga lifted one of her eyebrows. "Suit yourself." She said. As soon as she was able to leave the plane, she did just that. She waited just past the gate. Her carry on felt heavy against her forearm. Just as she started to feel her heart racing from anticipation, Arnold exited the plane. Half of his yellow hair laid flat on his head due to his impromptu nap. Helga laughed at him. Arnold spotted her. They headed over to baggage claim and waited.

Half an hour later they were boarding a plane to the middle of no where. Next it would be a smaller plane into the jungle. The door made a clank as it opened. The humidity hit Helga before she could get out the door. The warm air caressed her face. Arnold couldn't help but notice how the sun hit Helga's hair producing an angelic glow. The next thing Arnold noticed was the sound of birds. They sounded some how both near and far away. Arnold reasoned it down to an echo. His feet sunk in the sand as he stepped down.

Arnold's eyes scanned over the beach. The river flowed past them. The beach was larger than Arnold had imagined, yet it was accurate to the map in his father's journal. He walked past Helga and took a deep breath of air.

"Pretty amazing isn't it?" Arnold asked his bride to be.

"Yes... I mean, sure if you're into that kind of thing." Helga replied turning away from him to hide the look of wonder and awe directed that the beautiful piece of land.

"Too bad everyone else has to wait a few days to see it." He replied.

"Yeah. Too bad." Helga agreed grabbing a large suit case from the plane. Arnold put his hand forward to take it from her. Helga let out a huff and strengthened her grip around the handle. Arnold shrugged and grabbed another bag. As he walked away, Helga let out a sigh and lifted the bag to her chest. It was a struggle as the bag was too heavy for her. Arnold thanked the pilot and moved back over to where Helga was still standing.

"The hut is over here." Arnold said pointing in the general direction of the village. Helga could see three huts from where she stood. She followed closely behind Arnold until she was sure he was going to the first tent. She zoomed past him in an act of dominance and because her arms were going to fall off if she didn't put the suitcase down soon. She let out a huff as the luggage hit the floor. If only her pride hadn't gotten in the way, she wouldn't be so out of breath now.

Arnold let out a deep chuckle as he watched Helga pretend to be fine. He knew her wedding dress was in that suitcase, and she was afraid he would see it. She always was bad with secrets, he thought with no irony intended.

Arnold unpacked his bags as Helga watched. When he finally left to get something to eat. Helga snuck her dress out of her bag and hid it flat under the bed. They ate as the sunset.


	3. Photo

I do not own anything. Sorry everyone, I am in my senior year of college. Things got hectic.

Helga awoke with a buzzing sound in her ear.

Flies?

Bees?

No. This was too large yet familiar.

Mosquitoes.

Helga flung her hand up to snack the pest. In her sleepy state, she managed to only slap Arnold in the face. Helga froze. Her hand still laying over one of his eyes. Maybe she could act like she was still asleep. Maybe he slept through it. Maybe she could get out of this situation without embarrassment. Maybe-

"Helga, you have been holding your breath this whole time. I know you are awake." Arnold said.

Helga could hear the smile on his face though she dared not open her eyes. Was she being over dramatic? Probably. But it was too late now. She did however remember to take a breath.

"You also stopped snoring."

At this Helga bolted up right. "I do not snore!"

Helga's eye grew large as she realized he had tricked her into admitting she was awake. Arnold smiled gentle as Helga sat on the bed with her hair sticking up on one side. It reminded him of when they were kids. Her hair was always in pig tails. Slowly his eye lids lowered.

Helga smirked, "Hey! If I have to be awake so do you, Bucko."

"Just a few minutes, someone woke me up rather harshly." Arnold said.

"If you go back to sleep, it will be even worse." Helga threatened.

Arnold laid his head back on the pillow.

"Arnold."

"Arnold."

"Arnold."

"Hey Arnold!"

"Move Football Head."

Helga moved off the bed. She reached into her bag for a bottle of water. Just as she started to tip it over so the water would spill. Arnold started tickling her sides.

"No fair!" Helga screamed between the giggles as the bottle hit the floor.

"How is it not fair?" Arnold asked.

"Because... Because I am the bride!" Helga exclaimed.

"I can't argue with that log-" A rustle sounded from the bushes outside.

Arnold and Helga rushed to investigate in the early morning light. Arnold to see if any one was hurt. Helga to see who had interrupted her flirting with her beloved.

Sitting in the bush was small statue and a picture of a women with brown hair and a baby with a football shaped head. Arnold guest his father had taken the photo. He quickly looked around for a sign of someone. Anyone. But the land before his was empty. It was too dark too see any farther.


End file.
